December 14, 2010

Schadenfreude 105 (A Continuing Series)

In the end, this was like another game Cliff Lee was pitching against the Yankees, which means the Yankees kept swinging and missing with the guy. It happened last July, when the Yankees tried to make a trade for him. It happened in October, the one time they faced him in the American League Championship Series, in Game 3 at the new Yankee Stadium.

Now it happens in the crazy, free-agent winter of 2010, when Lee turns down what the Yankees offered him ... and takes less money and fewer years to go back to the Phillies.

They were so sure of opening the 2011 season with CC Sabathia in Game 1 and CC's dear friend, Cliff Lee, in Game 2, they figured the one hurdle to clear in contract talks would be whether to guarantee Lee a monument or a plaque. ...

Girardi's rotation looks like it was hit by a nor'easter. The Yanks were hoping A.J. Burnett would be required to throw only celebratory pies next season; now he'll actually be needed to throw fastballs and curves. Andy Pettitte? Now Cashman will offer to build him his very own retirement community if he agrees to give it one more go. ...

The Yankees will say now they are relieved because, by leaving so many dollars on the table, Lee was signaling he really did not want New York. They will say they were uncomfortable going to age 39 with a pitcher who had back problems last year or that they have some of the best pitching prospects in the majors coming or they now have great financial flexibility to pounce on what they want during the year.

But that is all spin that could be heard a lot in the future of what has become The Not Cliff Lee Era for the Yankees.

(And sure enough, a reader's comment: "No biggie...Lee had a what, 7.00 era, in the WS last year, he's declining already at 33 years old next season...We'll be fine and we don't have to listen to the whiners say we bought it..." And more than one fan says NYY should simply trade for Felix Hernandez -- who signed a contract extension less than 12 months ago that runs through 2014. Morons.)

It is believed Lee will take a five-year deal for $100 million from the Phillies, far below the Yankees' best offer, believed to be seven years in the $160 million range. The Rangers, Lee's final team this season, countered with a six-year pact with a vesting option for a seventh season.

Shortly before midnight, the Yanks received a call from Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, informing them that Lee was headed to another team. ...

With the Yankees and Rangers seemingly going head-to-head to acquire the lefty, Lee approached the Phillies, telling them how much he enjoyed playing for them and asking them if there were any way for him to return ...

I will take the schadenfreude re what Yankee fans are feeling now. But I agree with mabrowndog's #4 & 5 mantras.

Of course, fans don't get to claim them unless they were espousing them before he signed with the Phillies. A quick troll through Replacement Level revealed several commenters who already did not like the deal.

Zen: True about 4 & 5 and RL. Plenty of MFY fans at SoSH were down on the 7-year deal too. But I figure they would worry about 2016 (or whatever) when 2016 rolls around. For 11-12-13, though, it would be a boon.

Amy, I've just been texting with my sister and sister-in-law to see if either of them has a copy. So yes, if you don't mind, save the hard copy for us, that would be great. Thank you for thinking of it!

He is a general reporter, not a sportswriter. He could have found similar sentiments at any number of places, so I'm curious why he chose JoS (it does come up near the top of a google search). Plus he actually clicked on comments and read at least a few.

Well, although Amy is hardly an uncommon name, people who know I am a Red Sox fan and who know I teach law would not have to be professional investigators to put two and two together. All my students and colleagues know I am a Sox fan. If one happened to come upon JOS, I bet they would quickly figure out who "Amy" was.

I rarely say anything on line (or elsewhere) that I would be embarrassed by, but I do use more foul language here than I would ever use at school or in any professional setting. So yeah, I probably should do more to protect my identity. Obviously most people here do use something other than their real names, so I think starting with the 2011 series I will take on a new identity. Stay tuned!

True, true. But I don't know how many people bother to go back to old game threads to read comments, and that's where I generally let loose!

I sometimes comment on a blog written by an innkeeper on the Cape and was somewhat embarrassed when one of Harvey's colleagues asked if I was the Amy who commented on that blog. Not that I said anything embarrassing---but I guess it made me realize that there is no such thing as anonymity on the internet. It destroyed the illusion I had in my head that there are little communities where only those who participate are privy to our thoughts and comments.

Anyway, I don't want to sound paranoid, as I am not seriously concerned, but I guess I do think taking some steps to hide my real identity is not a bad idea.

I am sure that I should be embarrassed by some of the things I say (both online and in person), and when I was younger, I often was. But at this point I generally feel like people either have to take me as I am or just not take me at all. I don't mean that I say things to hurt or embarrass others, but I am sure I say things that sound stupid or silly or wrong to others. Who cares?